PEOPLE DIVIDED

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 7019, 6 January 1910, Page 7

PEOPLE DIVIDED

MR BALFOUR’S PEARS VAST NEW ISSUES AEISIN& BRITAIN'S POSITION AS MISTRESS OF THE SEAS. HOW NEARLY IT'IS LOST. 3y Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright. (Received January 5, 10.50 p.m.) LONDON, January 5. Mr Balfour, leader of the Opposition, speaking at Hanley, Staffordshire, said tlie present crisis luvd revealed the fact that different ideals were growing up and separating the community . into two great sections, widely divergent, and affecting not matters of detail but tho whole foundation on which the Empire rested and tlie whole future oi its development. These issues were of such magnitude that he must reserve for future discussion tho questions of the Constitution, reform of tho Second Chamber, Homo Buie, freedom for parents in selecting what form of religious teaching they desire. for their children, and other questions. . DEFENCE NOT A PARTY MATTER. Mr Balfour proceeded to consider the question of defences. He rebutted the accusation that he was making party capital out of the Navy. It was only the adequacy of the naval preparations that ho questioned, after having tho Ministerial statements on the subject. He contended that when tlie Unionists left office in 1905 tho strength of tlie Navy in battleships was overwhelming, and there were ample naval stores. “Since then,” , declared the leader of the Opposition, “ the Government has been living on those battleships and consuming those stores.” ' THE MULLINEE REVELATIONS. ; Referring to Mr Mulliner’s revelations, published on December 18th, Mr Balfour remarked: “Not until the truth had leaked out, or was ©xItracted almost by a process of torture, did tho country begin to realise the unprecedented position—that Britain’s naval superiority dm her own seas was - threatened in the near future. Every tiling depends on the NaVy. W© exist as an Empire only on sufferance unless our Navy be supreme. .“I,do not believe there is going to be any war between Britain and any great : Power; hut tho only way you can secure peace is to' bo sure of victory if war occurs.” THE PANACEA-TARIFF REFORM Mr Balfour proceeded to urge ■ tho adoption of Tariff Reform as the best means of raising, revenue and giving security to producers'and the increasing productive capacity of the country. Ho looked also to see its effects overseas. WORKING OUT EMPIRE DESTINY. Mr Balfour added; “ Wo must work out our Imperial salvation by wisdom, moderation, and mutual understanding and ' comprehension between the various equal and .self-governing democracios of the Empire. The welding into closer unity of so curiously formed a body will require the ' labours of ’ successive generations of statesmen, Let us take one stop at a time as it commends itself to our com-mon-sense and that of our fellowoitdtens across tho seas. . AN INVITATION SCORNED. ' “I would never associate myself with a party which, when invited by our children to take tho plain step of preference for promoting closer unity, repudiated the invitation with booth.” A TAEEPF DELUSION WHAT BERMONDSEY PROMISES MEAN. LONDON, January 4. Mr Winston Churchill, in a letter, declares that a 10 per cent, duty on imported leather, which the Tapi fetes promised in order to win the Bermondsey seat in October last—when Mr J. Dumphreys defeated Mr S. L. Hughes (Liberal) by 4278 votes to 3201, Dr. Salter (Socialist) polling 1435—would mean an additional burden upon tbe Leicester manufacturers of £200,000 a year, equivalent to about 3s a week on the wages of an ordinary operative. While industry would thus be greatly injured through a protective duty designed to raise the price of material, it stands to gain nothing from protection itself. ■ Lord Rayleigh, speaking at Witham, Essex, said lie favoured making foreigners contribute towards the national expenditure. There might bo some doubt regarding who should pay export and import duties, but no: dispute regarding who should receive them. He therefore strongly supported Tariff Reform. FUTURE OF THE LORDS. “The Times,” discussing the future of the House of Lords, says: “ Mr Asquith has definitely disclaimed the policy of ending, and his party has sufficiently indicated, its objection to mending, which means altering and improving the composition of the House. There remains bending, which seems to imply curtailing tho powers of the Lords, while leaving their composition alone. This alternative, which jurists consider the worst, is chosen by tho Government.” Sir William Anson, M.P. for Oxford University, rcueats Lord Rosebery's

request for information respecting the future of tho House of Lords. Several politicians and newspapers are urging Mr Asquith and Mr ( Balfour to give similar information. -a. hundred and fifteen meetings will he addressed by peers this week. mR BURNS ON THE FRANCHISE. Mr John Burns, speaking at Battersea, expressed himself in favour of adult suffrage. Ho declared that if tho reform were not embodied in tbo Liberal programme for this election the ladies themselves would be to blame. ■ Of two hundred and eighty members of tho Stafford branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers, only twenty-eight participated in a ballot on tho question of a levy of a shilling per member for Parliamentary propaganda purposes, i Of those who voted, three wore in favour of the proposal and twenty-five against. Lord Claud Hamilton, who has represented Londonderry, King’s Lynn, and Liverpool in previous Parliaments, will stand as the Conservative candidate for South Kensington, hold by tho late Earl Percy since 1895.